Digital Villages

After seven years in the making, the Law on Villages will finally be enacted this year. One of the significant articles of this legislation is the requirement to have all villages become technology-literate. The information gap between rural and urban areas have hampered the development of many a remote area. Aid intended for specific targets are misplaced or misused. Villages are frequently cheated by rent-seekers who buy their harvests. Their aspirations go unheard. Yet, long before the enactment of the new law which is expected to change the lives of villagers, a few dedicated individuals and groups attempted to bridge this information gap by providing simple yet effective training. Aided by the internet and cellular telephones, a number of villages once regarded as backward are now ready to face the future with their technological know-how. Tempo English reports from South Sulawesi and East Nusa Tenggara provinces.